"Oh my gosh. It was so scary," Khan said in her voice message. "My heart is like pounding. I've never got this scared in my life."

Her sister called her back a few minutes later, but she didn't answer. She went to the campus to where Khan was studying, but found only her book bag and her cell phone.

Searches for Khan ensued, and family members, including her husband, who she had just married about three months ago, made heart-felt pleas for her safe return.

"I miss her so much," Waseem Khan said Wednesday just hours before police said she had been located. "We were looking forward to the future. I wish she was by my side."

Waseem Khan said he had not been eating or sleeping properly since Aisha disappeared.

The story got national attention, with her picture and story being shown on network news shows the last several days.

Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass said Wednesday night in a news release that officers had made contact with Khan, verified her identity and verified that she was safe and never held against her will. About an hour later, family friend Aaner Trambu held a brief news conference, confirming she was in good condition and saying the family's "prayers had been answered."

But neither would comment on Khan's whereabouts during the more-than-five-day period when family, friends and law enforcement were looking for her.

"At this time, there have been no criminal acts," the Overland Park Police statement said. "Consequently, the investigation of Ms. Khan as a missing person is complete and no further action will be taken."

Trambu thanked all of those involved in the search, specifically investigators with the Overland Park Police Department.